Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet is a nutritional model inspired by the traditional dietary
patterns of the countries of the Mediterranean basin, particularly Italy,
Greece, and Spain.

Common to the diets of these regions are a high consumption of fruit
and vegetables, bread and other cereals, olive oil and fish; making
them low in saturated fat and high in carbohydrates and fiber. A main
factor in the appeal of the Mediterranean Diet is its rich, full flavored
foods. Margarine and other unhealthy hydrogenated fats are considered
bland and lacking the flavor olive oil can impart to foods. Red wine
is also consumed regularly but in moderate quantities.

Although it was first publicized in 1945 by the American doctor Ancel
Keys stationed in Salerno, Italy, the Mediterranean diet failed to gain
common currency until the 1990s. It is based on what from the point
of view of mainstream nutrition is considered a paradox: that although
the people living in Mediterranean countries tend to consume relatively
high amounts of fat, they have far lower rates of cardiovascular disease
than in countries like the United States, where similar levels of fat
consumption are found.

One of the main explanations is thought to be the large amount of olive
oil used in the Mediterranean diet. Unlike the high amount of animal
fats typical to the American diet, olive oil lowers cholesterol levels
in the blood. In addition, the consumption of red wine is considered
a possible factor, as it contains flavonoids with powerful antioxidant
properties.

Dietary factors may be only part of the reason for the health benefits
enjoyed by these cultures. Genetics, lifestyle, and environment may
also be involved.

The French Paradox

The French paradox is the perceived paradox that people in France suffer
relatively low incidence of coronary heart disease, despite their diet
allegedly being rich in saturated fats. The phenomenon was first noted
by Irish physician Samuel Black in 1819. It is often confused with the
related but different notion of the Mediterranean diet.

One possible reason for the attention devoted to this apparent paradox
in countries such as the United States is a popular misconception about
French food, whereby haute cuisine elaborated dishes with heavy sauces
and fatty specialties, such as foie gras, all well-represented in French
restaurants outside of France, are mistakenly considered representative
of the meals eaten by the average Frenchman.

It has been suggested that France's high red wine consumption is a
primary factor in the trend. This theory was expounded in a 60 Minutes
broadcast in 1992. The program catalysed a large increase in North American
demand for red wines from around the world. It is believed that one
of the active ingredients in red wine is resveratrol.

Resveratrol and other grape compounds have been positively linked to
fighting cancer, heart disease, degenerative nerve disease, and other
ailments. Although many people wrongly assume that red grapes have the
most health benefits, the fact is that grapes of all colors have comparable
benefits. Red wine has health benefits not found in white wine because
many of these compounds are found in the skins of the grapes and only
red wine is fermented with the skins.

The first scientific study of the relationship between alcohol consumption
and atheriosclerosis was published in the Journal of the American Medical
Association in 1904. The first epidemiological study to report that
moderate drinkers exhibit greater longevity than abstainers or heavy
drinkers was published in 1926. Hundreds of studies have followed in
recent decades.

There is a lack of medical consensus about whether moderate consumption
of beer, wine, or distilled spirits has a stronger association with
longevity. Of ten major studies, one-third found stronger evidence for
wine, one-third for beer, one-third for liquor, and one study found
no difference between alcoholic beverages. Most researchers now believe
that the most important ingredient is the alcohol itself.

The major cause of death in the U.S. is heart disease and most research
finds that moderate consumption of alcohol reduces coronary fatalities
in the range of 40% to 60%. The mechanisms by which alcohol reduces
coronary events are becoming increasingly documented. Research has found
that alcohol improves blood lipid profile (increases HDL and reduces
LDL), decreases thrombosis (reduces platelet aggregation, reduces fibrinogen
and increases fibrinolysis), reduces blood pressure, increases coronary
blood flow, and reduces blood insulin levels.

Nevertheless, the medical causes of the French paradox are still not
entirely clear, A number of studies have been made and some researchers
are moving away from the theory that wine consumption is the primary
cause.